Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a compromise bill Wednesday imposing a five-year moratorium on lab-grown meat in South Dakota after rejecting a permanent ban last month.

“By talking to producers, legislators, and other stakeholders, we worked together to chart a strong path forward,” Rhoden, a Republican, said in a press release.

The new law bars the sale, manufacture or distribution of “cell-cultured protein” products from July 1 this year through June 30, 2031. Violations are punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both.

Rhoden previously vetoed another bill that would have effectively banned lab-grown meat by adding it to a list of adulterated foods. In his veto letter, Rhoden said “it’s against our values to ban products just because we don’t like them” and instead backed a moratorium to allow for more study and for litigation over bans in other states to play out. 

Lawmakers then sent him a bill doing exactly that. They have not yet acted on his veto, which would require a two-thirds majority of each chamber to override. 

The moratorium bill was one of many Rhoden signed on Wednesday, including those listed below. He has signed 147 bills into law and vetoed one so far this legislative session, which ends Thursday except for a day on March 30 to consider vetoes. 

‘Bossly Bill’

Senate Bill 88 states that if a property owner denies permission, only an “examination,” not a “survey,” is permitted by an entity asserting a right to access land via the power of eminent domain. Developers will need a pending or approved siting permit application detailing where and when they plan to enter, how long they plan to be there, and what they’ll be doing. 

The bill defines an “examination” as a minimally invasive procedure that causes no more than minor soil disturbance, while defining a “survey” as a more detailed investigation.

The bill was dubbed the “Bossly Bill” for Jared Bossly of rural Aberdeen. He became a prominent opponent of Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon dioxide sequestration pipeline after confrontations with the company during its attempts to access his land for surveys. Lawmakers and Rhoden adopted a law last year banning eminent domain for carbon pipelines, and the project remains stalled.

National security bills

• Senate Bill 17 bans South Dakota candidates and political committees from accepting campaign contributions from foreign nationals.
• Senate Bill 40 aims to tighten compliance with South Dakota’s foreign-owned ag-land restrictions by allowing the attorney general to seek civil penalties for those failing to file federal ownership reports.
• Senate Bill 60 bans China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia or Venezuela from holding property in South Dakota.
• Senate Bill 130 appropriates $8 million from the state general fund to the South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority for roads and other infrastructure near Ellsworth Air Force Base, which is undergoing heavy construction in anticipation of the arrival of B-21 bomber planes. 

Digital currency fraud

• Senate Bill 98 regulates virtual currency kiosks — ATM-like devices, sometimes with Bitcoin logos on the sides — to curb fraud by limiting users to $1,000 per day and $10,000 over 30 days, capping transaction charges at 25%, and requiring refunds for fraud victims who meet certain requirements.
• Senate Bill 43 makes digital currency a seizable asset in criminal investigations, which Attorney General Marty Jackley’s office said will give law enforcement tools to confiscate illicit cryptocurrency assets.